Arrest made in decades old Wellington clown murder case

"I didn't think that it would ever happen; there's always hope, but I'd prefer to have her instead", Marlene Warren's 87-year-old mother, Shirley Twing, told the Florida Sun-Sentinel after the arrest was announced.

Marlene Warren, her 22-year-old son and his friends saw a white Chrsyler LeBaron pull into the driveway of her South Florida home.

"Taking another person's life is a horrific incident", said Palm Beach County sheriff's Sgt. Richard McAfee in a news conference while speaking of the decision to wear a clown costume. At the time of her death, Marlene was married to Michael Warren, whom Sheila married in 2002.

NBC News reports that fairly early in the investigation, Sheila Keen became a suspect in Marlene's murder, but authorities did not have enough evidence to charge her.

Warren was arraigned Wednesday morning in Washington County General District Court and waived extradition, officials said.

Warren died two days later.

The sheriff did not mention whether or not Michael Warren would also be arrested. Store clerks picked her out of a lineup and police found fibers from a bright, orange wig in Keen Warren's home.

A spokesperson for the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office declined to comment further on the investigation, saying the indictment was under seal. The balloons were bought an hour before the shooting and the salesperson described the woman, who bought the balloons, as having long brown hair like the accused. He did serve time in prison for grand theft, racketeering and odometer tampering, connected to a used auto business.